Apparatus and method for removing flooring tile

ABSTRACT

An apparatus and a method that is used to mechanically remove flooring tiles intact that have separated from the foundation and then after the foundation and tile surfaces have been prepared, the same tile is reset undamaged.

BACKGROUND

1. Field of Invention

The apparatus generally relates to grouted ceramic, marble, stone, orporcelain flooring tiles that have separated in part from the underlyingfoundation for the purpose of resetting them properly.

2. Description of Prior Art

Repair of grouted flooring tiles that have separated from the basestructure is currently done by chipping or cutting out the surroundinggrout first. Second the tile must be pried out using a chisel hammeredunder the tile however, chances are good that the tile will crack at ornear where the prying force on the chisel was applied. If the job issuccessful then the tile and underlying structure are properly cleanedand the old tile is reset using a thin-set mortar or other comparableadhesive. If the tile cracks during the procedure then a new tile mustbe substituted. The problem is that if the new tile does not match thesurrounding tile floor then the appearance of the floor is greatlydiminished. Separation can occur because of a shift in the foundation,poor application of thin-set mortar, or a lack in the expansion joints.If a separated tile is not repaired then it will crack with time andnormal use.

Prior art attempted to solve this problem of repairing separated tilesin two ways. The first was injecting an adhesive under the tile througha drilled hole illustrated by DiStefano U.S. Pat. No. 5,000,890. Thismethod does address salvaging the original tile but there are threeproblems with this method. First, the equipment required for the job isexpensive. Second, the machines are complicated to operate for anordinary person making this method of repair only available to anexperienced technician. Third, the injected adhesive may not be able topenetrate and flow into all of the hollow spaces between the tile andthe foundation to provide adequate and proper setting of the tile. Ifthe adhesive injection is still unsuccessful then removing the tileintact by conventional methods will be near impossible and would have tobe chipped out in pieces. The end result to the consumer is a highercost and less than a high probability of success and in a worst casescenario leaving only a destructive method of tile removal andreplacement with a new tile.

The alternative is to forgo any repair of an individual tile and insteadremove the separated tile in pieces and replace it with a new one. Thefirst of the destructive methods to remove the tile uses a torch tocrack the tile then remove the pieces and is illustrated by Gerbasi U.S.Pat. No. 6,027,174. The second is to use a mechanized chipper to breakthe tile and is illustrated by Holder U.S. Pat. No. 6,523,906 and WordenU.S. Pat. No. 5,713,637.

OBJECTS AND ADVANTAGES

Some of the objects and advantages over prior art of the apparatus areas follows:

-   -   (a) to recover the separated tile intact so that it can be reset        properly;    -   (b) to minimize the cost to the consumer by allowing one not        skilled the art to accomplish the job on his own due to the        lower threshold of expertise and equipment required for the job        over an adhesive injection method;    -   (c) to provide a viable alternative to destructive method        repairs;    -   (d) to provide an apparatus and method to more reliably recover        a separated tile over the current tile removal technique        utilizing hammer and chisel type hand tools.

DRAWING FIGURES

FIG. 1 is an isometric view not including hidden lines. The hidden lineswere omitted here to minimize clutter.

FIG. 2 is a front view from the position of the tile clamps.

FIG. 3 is another embodiment using a top view showing lengthadjustability of the apparatus.

FIG. 4 is a top view of the base plate only.

FIG. 5 is a right side view of the base plate only.

FIG. 6 is a top view excluding the base plate nuts and tile clamp bolts.

FIG. 7 is a right side view of the clamp guide rod and tile clamp andtile clamp riser.

FIG. 7 a is a right side view of clamp guide rods, tile clamps and tileclamp risers using flat bar material instead of angle iron.

REFERENCE NUMERALS IN DRAWINGS

10 base plate 18L spring lug

10A base plate 22 spring

10B base plate 26 tile hook

14 base tang 30 clamp guide tube

15 base cleat 34R clamp guide rod

18R spring lug 34L clamp guide rod

18C spring lug 38R tile clamp

38L tile clamp 50L width-adjustment nut support

42R tile clamp riser

54 tile

42L tile clamp riser

58 adjustment plate

46R width adjustment nut

62A adjustment bolt

46L width adjustment nut

62B adjustment bolt

48R tile clamp bolt

66A length adjustment nut

48L tile clamp bolt

66B length adjustment nut

50R width-adjustment nut support 70R lock nut

70L lock nut

SUMMARY

To recap, the apparatus is designed to remove a partially separatedflooring tile intact so that the original tile can be reset properly.

Description—FIGS. 1-7

A typical embodiment of the apparatus is illustrated in FIG. 1, and analternate embodiment is shown in FIG. 3 using different material, areversal in one component, and another adjustable component.

The entire structure is made of a rigid material usually steel. A baseplate 10 can be made of welded pieces of steel or solid cut from platematerial. The “I” shape was chosen to reduce weight and improveaesthetics of the apparatus. The rear of the apparatus is comprised of abase cleat 15 and a base tang 14 as shown in FIGS. 1, 3, 4, 5. Basecleat 15 is attached to base plate 10 and base tang 14 is attached tobase cleat 15.

A spring lug 18L, a spring lug 18C and a spring lug 18R are attached tobase plate 10 at different intervals and at different distances fromfront of base plate 10 as shown in FIGS. 1, 3, 5. The purpose of springlugs 18L, 18C and 18R are to act as an attachment for a spring 22. Atile hook 26 attaches to tile 54, near front of base plate 10, which inturn attaches to spring 22 which in turn attaches to one of the springlugs 18L, 18C or 18R depending on the amount of tension needed. Thistension or pressure minimizes the chance of chipping or cracking tile 54during the hammering process.

A clamp guide tube 30, a round pipe, is attached to the front of baseplate 10 and extends the entire width of base plate 10. Clamp guide tube30 houses two clamp guide rods 34R and 34L which are round and solid.Different size tiles can be accommodated because clamp guide rods 34Rand 34L can be extended to varying widths and they move freely withinclamp guide tube 30. See FIGS. 5, 6 for illustration. At the outward endof clamp guide rod 34R is attached a tile clamp 38R and a tile clampriser 42R. At the outward end of clamp guide rod 34L is attached a tileclamp 38L and a tile clamp riser 42L. Tile clamp riser 42R and 42L areattached vertically and perpendicular to tile clamp 38R and 38Lrespectively. Tile clamps 38R and 38L, and tile clamp riser 42R and 42Lcan be made of different shaped materials and one that is shown is angleiron as in FIGS. 1, 7.

A tile clamp bolt 48R and a tile clamp bolt 48L are interchangeabledepending which side the user wants to make hand adjustments. In FIG. 1tile clamp bolt 48R has the handle to be used to tighten and loosen theapparatus from tile 54, and tile clamp bolt 48L is used as a widthsetting guide needing adjustment only when a different size tile isencountered. Tile clamp bolt 48R fits through a hole in tile clamp riser42R and bolts to width adjustment nut 46R. Tile clamp bolt 48L fitsthrough a hole in tile clamp riser 42L and bolts to width adjustment nut46L. Width adjustment nut 46R is supported above clamp guide tube 30 bya width adjustment nut support 50R. Width adjustment nut 46L issupported above clamp guide tube 30 by a width adjustment nut support50L. The width-clamping action secures the apparatus along both sides oftile 54 where clamps 38R and 38L contact tile 54.

Some differences are illustrated in an alternate embodiment shown inFIGS. 3, 7 a. Base plate 10 is two separate pieces, a base plate 10A anda base plate 10B, and is held together by an adjustment plate 58. Baseplate 10A is secured to adjustment plate 58 by an adjustment bolt 62Aand a length adjustment nut 66A. Base plate 10B is secured to adjustmentplate 58 by an adjustment bolt 62B and a length adjustment nut 66B. Thisset up allows for changing the length of the apparatus to fit varioussituations or different sized tile by loosening length adjustment nuts66A and 66B, changing the to the length, then tightening lengthadjustment nuts 66A and 66B.

In FIG. 3 spring lug 18L is set further back because it would interferewith some of the other components of the apparatus. In the case of theembodiment illustrated in FIG. 3 spring lugs 18C and 18R can beeliminated. In their place a different spring 22 can be used to changethe tension required for the different sized tile.

Tile clamps 38R and 38L, and tile clamp risers 42R and 42L can be madeof differently shaped materials and another one shown in FIGS. 3, 7 a isflat bar.

A tile clamp bolt 48R and a tile clamp bolt 48L are interchangeabledepending which side the user wants to make hand adjustments. Tile clampbolt 48R fits through a hole in tile clamp riser 42R and bolts to widthadjustment nut 46R. Tile clamp bolt 48L fits through a hole in tileclamp riser 42L and bolts to width adjustment nut 46L. Width adjustmentnut 46R is supported above clamp guide tube 30 by a width-adjustment nutsupport 50R. Width adjustment nut 46L is supported above clamp guidetube 30 by a width-adjustment nut support 50L. Lock nut 70R attachestile clamp bolt 48R to clamp riser 42R because the bolt head is on theinside of base plate 10A. Lock nut 70L attaches tile clamp bolt 48L toclamp riser 42L because the bolt head is on the inside of base plate10A. The width-clamping action secures the apparatus along both sides oftile 54 where clamps 38R and 38L contact tile 54. See FIGS. 3, 7 a forillustration.

In all embodiments, an isolation membrane is placed between tile 54 andthree of the apparatus contact areas—tile clamp 38R, tile clamp 38L, andbase cleat 15.

As described above the apparatus allows tiles to be removed intact sothat both the tile and the foundation surface can be prepared forresetting of the original tile.

Operation—FIGS. 1, 2, 4, 5, 6, 7

Prior to actual removal of a separated tile 54 from the foundation, thegrout and any mortar surrounding this tile must be removed. The groutshould be sawed out and not chipped out because hand chipping or using amechanical chipping tool could damage the tile prior to its removal.Removal is complete when the underlying foundation can be seen in thespace between the tiles. One reason that complete vacancy of the spaceis essential is because during the hammering and actual removal process,the tile moves forward as it breaks loose from its mortar bed and needsthe space to move. Another reason is that the apparatus needs adequatespace so that a base cleat 15, a tile clamp 38R and a tile clamp 38L canfit into this space and the apparatus will sit full depth.

After the grout has been properly removed from around tile 54, theapparatus is placed over it and base cleat 15, tile clamp 38R and 38Lare fit into the appropriate spaces around tile 54. Before the apparatusis secured to tile 54 an isolation membrane is put between the edge oftile 54 and tile clamps 38R and 38L, and between the edge of tile 54 andbase cleat 15. The width between the clamps is adjusted by screwing inor out a tile clamp bolt 48R and a tile clamp bolt 48L. In thisembodiment tile clamp bolt 48L serves as a width setting bolt for tile54. Tile clamp bolt 48L needs to be adjusted only when a different sizetile is encountered. Tile clamp bolt 48R tightens or releases tension ontile 54. If needed tile clamp bolts 48L and 48R can be switched it thehandle would be better on the other side of the apparatus.

Hooked to the front of tile 54 is a tile hook 26 which is attached to aspring 22 which is attached to a spring lug 18R, 18C or 18L to providetension between the apparatus and tile 54.

After centering the apparatus by adjusting tile clamp bolt 48L then tileclamp bolt 48R is turned clockwise until snug. The apparatus should befirmly attached to tile 54 but not so tight that it would crack underthe width adjustment tension.

A base tang 14 is then struck several times until the tile movesforward. At this point no further hammering is needed and the tile canbe lifted from its spot. Do not use a light weight hammer or sledgehammer for the job. Only enough power in the blow to base tang 14 tobreak the seal is needed. An excess of power will damage tile 54 and aninsufficient amount of power will not jar tile 54 loose.

After tile 54 is removed, both the tile and the foundation must then becleaned of old mortar. The tile can then be reset.

Another embodiment is shown in FIGS. 3, 7 a. Tile clamp bolts 48R and48L are now adjusted on the inside portion of the apparatus instead ofon the outside as in the operation above. Also the apparatus can beadjusted lengthwise through the use of an adjustment plate 58 thatattaches a base plate 10A and to a base plate 10B. Once the correctlength is set then a length adjustment nut 66A and a length adjustmentnut 66B are tightened. The rest of the removal process is the same asthe above embodiment.

Summary, Ramifications, and Scope

Accordingly, the user of the apparatus can reset a separated tilebecause the original tile can be recovered intact thereby keeping thefloor whole and uniform. This is an improvement over the existing methodof repair, namely destructive removal and replacement with new tile, andis a viable alternative to adhesive injection. The apparatus providesfor cost savings to the consumer because no new tiles are needed andonly those tiles that are separated need repairing.

Thus the scope of the apparatus should be determined by the appendedclaims and their legal equivalents, rather than by the examples given.

1. An apparatus and method for removing a portion of a grouted tilefloor where said portion has separated from the foundation comprising:a. a means for removing grout and cementitious material around all sidesof said tile without damaging said tile b. a rigid material forming abase plate of a predetermined size c. a plurality of clamps that securesaid base plate to said tile that fit into evacuated grout spaces aroundsaid tile d. a cleat attached to said base plate that fits into anotherevacuated grout space perpendicular to said clamps e. an impact area onsaid cleat and base plate for a hammering force to be applied on saidimpact area used to drive said base plate and consequently said tileforward in the same direction of the impact force.
 2. The method ofclaim 1 of removing said grout around said tile is done using a circularabrasive blade saw to cut out said grout or a drill to bore multipleholes in a series in said grout.
 3. The apparatus of claim 1 whereinsaid plurality of clamps are two opposing clamps that sandwich saidtile.
 4. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein said clamps sandwich said tileuse a nut and bolt system to control the pressure exerted on said tileby said clamps.
 5. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein said clamps havetheir lateral movement controlled by guide rods and a guide tube.
 6. Theapparatus of claim 1 wherein said clamps use a bolt and nut system toadjust the width of said clamps, the nut is attached to said base plateparallel to and above said guide tube.
 7. The apparatus of claim 1wherein said clamps use a nut and bolt system to adjust the width ofsaid clamps, the bolts can be interchanged.
 8. The apparatus of claim 1wherein said base plate is secured to said tile on the side oppositesaid impact area through a tensioning means such as a spring.
 9. Anapparatus and method for removing a grouted floor tile where said tilehas separated from the foundation comprising: a. a means for removinggrout and cementing material around all sides of said tile withoutdamaging said tile b. a rigid material forming a base plate of apredetermined size that is adjustable in length c. a plurality of clampsthat secure the base plate to said tile that fit into evacuated groutspaces around said tile d. a cleat attached to said base plate that fitsinto another evacuated grout space perpendicular to said clamps e. animpact area on said base plate for a hammering force to be applied onsaid impact area used to drive said base plate and consequently saidtile forward in the same direction of the impact force.
 10. The methodof claim 9 of removing said grout around said tile is done using acircular abrasive blade saw to cut out said grout or a drill to boremultiple holes in a series in said grout.
 11. The apparatus of claim 9wherein said base plate is comprised of a front half and a back half ofa base plate to be connected by an adjustment plate and secured by a nutand bolt system.
 12. The apparatus of claim 9 wherein said adjustablebase plate consists of an adjustment plate of a similar material as saidbase plate having a slot so the bolts of said front half of said baseplate and said back half of said base plate can freely move until aplurality of adjustment nuts are tightened.
 13. The apparatus of claim 9wherein said plurality of clamps are two opposing clamps that sandwichsaid tile.
 14. The apparatus of claim 9 wherein said clamps sandwichsaid tile use a nut and bolt system to control the pressure exerted onsaid tile by said clamps.
 15. The apparatus of claim 9 wherein saidclamps have their lateral movement controlled by guide rods and a guidetube.
 16. The apparatus of claim 9 wherein said clamps use a bolt andnut system to adjust the width of said clamps, the nut is attached tosaid base plate parallel to and above said guide tube.
 17. The apparatusof claim 9 wherein said clamps use a nut and bolt system to adjust thewidth of said clamps, the bolt head can face inside or outside of saidbase plate.
 18. The apparatus of claim 9 wherein said base plate issecured to said tile on the side opposite of said impact area through atensioning means such as a spring.